Distribution cabinets are required when designing optical fiber cable networks in order to ensure the cables are arranged in a structured fashion. One requirement made of distribution cabinets for optical fibers is that they be equipped to the maximum extent with a high packing density and at the same time little mechanical load on the optical fibers.
The prior art discloses distribution cabinets for optical fibers in which assemblies for connecting optical fibers which are routed by means of patch cables are arranged, such that they can pivot, in a frame which can pivot in relation to a housing of the distribution cabinet. In distribution cabinets for optical fibers of this type, the cables are routed into the distribution cabinet for from an upper face and/or a lower face of the housing in the region of a rear face of the housing and from the rear face of the housing to the pivotable frame. According to the prior art, the cables are in this case attached firstly in a region of the rear face of the housing and secondly to the pivotable frame. In the case of distribution cabinets for optical fibers of this type, the frame is pivoted in relation to the housing or out of the housing in order to gain access to the rear face of the assemblies which are accommodated in the frame. When the frame is pivoted, the cables are also moved and mechanically loaded since they are fixed to the frame. On account of the cables being rigidly fixed to the pivotable frame in the manner customary according to the prior art, the cables are bent, compressed or even twisted, and this often leads to the optical transmission properties of the optical fibers which run in the cables being impaired. In addition, a mechanical force is exerted on the frame on account of the cables being rigidly fixed to the pivotable frame, and in extreme cases this may lead to the frame no longer being able to move. If a plurality of cables in the form of a bundle are routed from the rear face of the housing in the direction of the frame and fixed to the frame, the above problems are intensified since the cables which are combined to form one bundle adhere to one another in a frictionally engaging manner on account of the properties of the cable casing and therefore can form a rigid connection. Consequently, it is problematical to route the cables from the rear face of the housing of the distribution cabinet in the direction of the pivotable frame in the case of distribution cabinets for optical fibers which are known from the prior art.
Against this background, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a novel distribution cabinet for optical fibers.
This problem is solved by a distribution cabinet for optical fibers including the features of the present invention shown and described herein. In the distribution cabinet for optical fibers according to the invention, at least one holding device for the cables is attached to the frame which is mounted such that it can pivot, it being possible to fix the cables to the each holding device, and the each holding device being formed such that it can pivot firstly together with the frame in relation to the housing and secondly in relation to the frame. The mechanical load on the cables when the frame is pivoted is minimized on account of the ability of the each holding device to pivot in relation to the likewise pivotable frame. The difficulties known from the prior art are [thus] overcome.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the each holding device can be pivoted in relation to the frame in such a way that in each position of the frame the holding device is oriented toward the rear face of the housing. In this case, the each holding device is oriented toward a region of the rear face or rear wall of the housing in which the cables which can be routed into and/or out of the distribution cabinet are routed and/or attached.
The holding device is preferably attached to the rear face of the housing by means of at least one traction device in each case, to be precise in the region or in the vicinity of the region in which the cables which can be routed into and/or out of the distribution cabinet are routed and/or attached. The traction device is relatively relaxed in the position in which the relative distance between the respective holding device and the region of the rear face of the housing is the shortest, with the each traction device being tensioned as the relative distance increases.